1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle during a driving maneuver.
2. Description of the Related Art
Methods for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle include in particular methods which assist the driver during complex maneuvers, for example while parking in a parking space. Parking in a parking space may occur either in the forward or the backward direction. Assistance is usually provided for backing-up parking operations.
For systems which assist the driver during driving maneuvers, a distinction is made between systems which indicate to the driver only the distance from objects in the surroundings of the vehicle, the indication generally being provided visually and/or acoustically, and systems which either indicate necessary interventions to the driver or which automatically take over the steering. Longitudinal guidance may also be taken over.
Also for systems in which the steering and optionally also the longitudinal guidance are taken over by the assistance system, it is advantageous to indicate to the driver distances from objects in the surroundings of the vehicle. The indication is usually provided acoustically by repetitive signal tones, the pause between two tones decreasing as the distance from an object decreases. If the distance is less than a predefined minimum distance, a continuous tone sounds which prompts the driver to stop the vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, an visual display, for example with the aid of LEDs, may be provided. Usually, the number of LEDs that light up increases as the distance decreases. It is also possible to use differently colored LEDs if the distance is less than a predefined distance. In addition to the display by LEDs, a two-dimensional top-view representation on a display unit of an onboard computer, for example a monitor, is also possible.
In order to carry out an automatic steering intervention only when all systems of the driver assistance system are ready, as known from published German patent application document 10 2005 017 359, a check is initially made as to whether the control unit of the parking assistance system is not reporting errors, the control unit of the steering actuator is not reporting errors, and the communication between the two control units has no errors. No automatic steering intervention is carried out if all of the conditions are not met. However, this has the disadvantage that if there is a malfunction in a device, the assistance to the driver ceases completely. Thus, no more assistance is provided to the driver during a driving maneuver.